I have had this book for a while now. This isn't a hurried read and is certainly not a light read. This is a complex and detailed read.
I chose this selection because my husband enjoys the Native American history. I do as well. It seems in today's world yesterday is forgotten, but this is a time in history that should be taught in every school room and in every home.
This is such a powerful read. How many of us know this was the longest war in history? Sadly, I cannot say that I knew this. That is heartbreaking.
Paul Andrew Hutton takes us on a journey that is intriguing, intense, and sometimes gruesome. We learn of Mickey Free, the only person Geronimo ever feared. Half Irish, half Mexican, he lived in both worlds of the American soldiers and the Apaches. His life gives tale of this mountainous story that builds with chapter.
If you love history you are going to dive into this novel and appreciate our history even more so. If you're not such a fan, well, this book just may set you on the course of discovering history that was never taught in school.
I have to be honest. This was a hard read for me. It wasn't a book I continually grabbed first for my nightly reading. As I stated I picked this selection for my husband, knowing I too would have to read it for review. I wasn't overly excited, but let me share with you, I am so happy I chose this book! So much to uncover and Hutton does a fantastically gifted job of keeping the reader on course and not flipping from one subject to the next. The words flow and as each chapter passes the next is even more intriguing.
So, yes, I would greatly encourage this as a summer read. Purchase now and save it for a fall evening, just don't skip it because you think it would be boring. Not boring at all, but extremely deep.
This book was a gift from Crown Publishing for sharing my review with you.
Paul Andrew Hutton is an American cultural historian, author, documentary writer, and television personality. He is a Distinguished Professor of History at the University of New Mexico, a former executive director of the Western History Association, and former president of the Western Writers of America.
